{"markup":"\u003C?xml version=\u00221.0\u0022 encoding=\u0022UTF-8\u0022 ?\u003E\n \u003Chtml version=\u0022HTML+RDFa+MathML 1.1\u0022\n xmlns:content=\u0022http:\/\/purl.org\/rss\/1.0\/modules\/content\/\u0022\n xmlns:dc=\u0022http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/\u0022\n xmlns:foaf=\u0022http:\/\/xmlns.com\/foaf\/0.1\/\u0022\n xmlns:og=\u0022http:\/\/ogp.me\/ns#\u0022\n xmlns:rdfs=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/01\/rdf-schema#\u0022\n xmlns:sioc=\u0022http:\/\/rdfs.org\/sioc\/ns#\u0022\n xmlns:sioct=\u0022http:\/\/rdfs.org\/sioc\/types#\u0022\n xmlns:skos=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2004\/02\/skos\/core#\u0022\n xmlns:xsd=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2001\/XMLSchema#\u0022\n xmlns:mml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML\u0022\u003E\n \u003Chead\u003E\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_1S75xlJViLfgYm0Zeff6cMAg4vOM1HH3Psk3u7Gb5gY.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/qtip2\/2.2.1\/jquery.qtip.min.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_YjAJQgxDlFX6S-O02jj9jCrVbrwlY3CGgCg1FzPlvBs.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022\u003E\n\u003C!--\/\/--\u003E\u003C![CDATA[\/\/\u003E\u003C!--\nwindow.MathJax = { menuSettings: { zoom: \u0022Click\u0022 } };\n\/\/--\u003E\u003C!]]\u003E\n\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_gPqjYq7fqdMzw8-29XWQIVoDSWTmZCGy9OqaHppNxuQ.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022\u003E\n\u003C!--\/\/--\u003E\u003C![CDATA[\/\/\u003E\u003C!--\n(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i[\u0022GoogleAnalyticsObject\u0022]=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,\u0022script\u0022,\u0022\/\/www.google-analytics.com\/analytics.js\u0022,\u0022ga\u0022);ga(\u0022create\u0022, \u0022UA-3973671-2\u0022, {\u0022cookieDomain\u0022:\u0022auto\u0022});ga(\u0022set\u0022, \u0022anonymizeIp\u0022, true);ga(\u0022set\u0022, \u0022dimension1\u0022, \u0022is_anonymous_user\u0022);ga(\u0022set\u0022, \u0022page\u0022, location.pathname + location.search + location.hash);ga(\u0022send\u0022, \u0022pageview\u0022);ga(\u0027create\u0027, \u0027UA-189672-9\u0027, \u0027auto\u0027, {\u0027name\u0027: \u0027hwTracker\u0027});\r\nga(\u0027set\u0027, \u0027anonymizeIp\u0027, true);\r\nga(\u0027hwTracker.send\u0027, \u0027pageview\u0027);\n\/\/--\u003E\u003C!]]\u003E\n\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022\u003E\n\u003C!--\/\/--\u003E\u003C![CDATA[\/\/\u003E\u003C!--\njQuery.extend(Drupal.settings, {\u0022basePath\u0022:\u0022\\\/\u0022,\u0022pathPrefix\u0022:\u0022\u0022,\u0022highwire\u0022:{\u0022ac\u0022:{\u0022\\\/pediatrics\\\/117\\\/Supplement_4\\\/S442.atom\u0022:{\u0022access\u0022:{\u0022full\u0022:true},\u0022pisa_id\u0022:\u0022\u0022,\u0022apath\u0022:\u0022\\\/pediatrics\\\/117\\\/Supplement_4\\\/S442.atom\u0022,\u0022jcode\u0022:\u0022pediatrics\u0022}},\u0022processed\u0022:[\u0022highwire_math\u0022],\u0022markup\u0022:[{\u0022requested\u0022:\u0022long\u0022,\u0022variant\u0022:\u0022full-text\u0022,\u0022view\u0022:\u0022full\u0022,\u0022pisa\u0022:\u0022pediatrics;117\\\/Supplement_4\\\/S442\u0022}]},\u0022instances\u0022:\u0022{\\u0022highwire_abstract_tooltip\\u0022:{\\u0022content\\u0022:{\\u0022text\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022style\\u0022:{\\u0022tip\\u0022:{\\u0022width\\u0022:20,\\u0022height\\u0022:20,\\u0022border\\u0022:1,\\u0022offset\\u0022:0,\\u0022corner\\u0022:true},\\u0022classes\\u0022:\\u0022qtip-custom hw-tooltip hw-abstract-tooltip qtip-shadow qtip-rounded\\u0022,\\u0022classes_custom\\u0022:\\u0022hw-tooltip hw-abstract-tooltip\\u0022},\\u0022position\\u0022:{\\u0022at\\u0022:\\u0022right center\\u0022,\\u0022my\\u0022:\\u0022left center\\u0022,\\u0022viewport\\u0022:true,\\u0022adjust\\u0022:{\\u0022method\\u0022:\\u0022shift\\u0022}},\\u0022show\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseenter click \\u0022,\\u0022solo\\u0022:true},\\u0022hide\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseleave \\u0022,\\u0022fixed\\u0022:1,\\u0022delay\\u0022:\\u0022100\\u0022}},\\u0022highwire_author_tooltip\\u0022:{\\u0022content\\u0022:{\\u0022text\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022style\\u0022:{\\u0022tip\\u0022:{\\u0022width\\u0022:15,\\u0022height\\u0022:15,\\u0022border\\u0022:1,\\u0022offset\\u0022:0,\\u0022corner\\u0022:true},\\u0022classes\\u0022:\\u0022qtip-custom hw-tooltip hw-author-tooltip qtip-shadow qtip-rounded\\u0022,\\u0022classes_custom\\u0022:\\u0022hw-tooltip hw-author-tooltip\\u0022},\\u0022position\\u0022:{\\u0022at\\u0022:\\u0022top center\\u0022,\\u0022my\\u0022:\\u0022bottom center\\u0022,\\u0022viewport\\u0022:true,\\u0022adjust\\u0022:{\\u0022method\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022}},\\u0022show\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseenter \\u0022,\\u0022solo\\u0022:true},\\u0022hide\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseleave \\u0022,\\u0022fixed\\u0022:1,\\u0022delay\\u0022:\\u0022100\\u0022}},\\u0022highwire_reflinks_tooltip\\u0022:{\\u0022content\\u0022:{\\u0022text\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022style\\u0022:{\\u0022tip\\u0022:{\\u0022width\\u0022:15,\\u0022height\\u0022:15,\\u0022border\\u0022:1,\\u0022mimic\\u0022:\\u0022top center\\u0022,\\u0022offset\\u0022:0,\\u0022corner\\u0022:true},\\u0022classes\\u0022:\\u0022qtip-custom hw-tooltip hw-ref-link-tooltip qtip-shadow qtip-rounded\\u0022,\\u0022classes_custom\\u0022:\\u0022hw-tooltip hw-ref-link-tooltip\\u0022},\\u0022position\\u0022:{\\u0022at\\u0022:\\u0022bottom left\\u0022,\\u0022my\\u0022:\\u0022top left\\u0022,\\u0022viewport\\u0022:true,\\u0022adjust\\u0022:{\\u0022method\\u0022:\\u0022flip\\u0022}},\\u0022show\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseenter \\u0022,\\u0022solo\\u0022:true},\\u0022hide\\u0022:{\\u0022event\\u0022:\\u0022mouseleave \\u0022,\\u0022fixed\\u0022:1,\\u0022delay\\u0022:\\u0022100\\u0022}}}\u0022,\u0022qtipDebug\u0022:\u0022{\\u0022leaveElement\\u0022:0}\u0022,\u0022googleanalytics\u0022:{\u0022trackOutbound\u0022:1,\u0022trackMailto\u0022:1,\u0022trackDownload\u0022:1,\u0022trackDownloadExtensions\u0022:\u00227z|aac|arc|arj|asf|asx|avi|bin|csv|doc(x|m)?|dot(x|m)?|exe|flv|gif|gz|gzip|hqx|jar|jpe?g|js|mp(2|3|4|e?g)|mov(ie)?|msi|msp|pdf|phps|png|ppt(x|m)?|pot(x|m)?|pps(x|m)?|ppam|sld(x|m)?|thmx|qtm?|ra(m|r)?|sea|sit|tar|tgz|torrent|txt|wav|wma|wmv|wpd|xls(x|m|b)?|xlt(x|m)|xlam|xml|z|zip\u0022,\u0022trackColorbox\u0022:1,\u0022trackUrlFragments\u0022:1},\u0022ajaxPageState\u0022:{\u0022js\u0022:{\u0022misc\\\/autocomplete.js\u0022:1,\u0022\\\/\\\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\\\/qtip2\\\/2.2.1\\\/jquery.qtip.min.js\u0022:1,\u0022sites\\\/all\\\/modules\\\/highwire\\\/highwire\\\/plugins\\\/highwire_markup_process\\\/js\\\/highwire_article_reference_popup.js\u0022:1,\u0022sites\\\/all\\\/modules\\\/highwire\\\/highwire\\\/plugins\\\/highwire_markup_process\\\/js\\\/highwire_at_symbol.js\u0022:1,\u00220\u0022:1,\u0022sites\\\/all\\\/modules\\\/contrib\\\/google_analytics\\\/googleanalytics.js\u0022:1,\u00221\u0022:1}}});\n\/\/--\u003E\u003C!]]\u003E\n\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Clink type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_v2K0OcvOu_lPgEwXqKSMTcfhH2wT0icS-Kl9obU2MiI.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/qtip2\/2.2.1\/jquery.qtip.min.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_d4aq5m-PSldwmP7GtQgqML4_sXbU7hLjeosdsSMLzjw.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink rel=\u0027stylesheet\u0027 type=\u0027text\/css\u0027 href=\u0027\/sites\/all\/modules\/contrib\/panels\/plugins\/layouts\/onecol\/onecol.css\u0027 \/\u003E\u003C\/head\u003E\u003Cbody\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panels-ajax-tab-panel panels-ajax-tab-panel-jnl-aap-tab-art\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-display panel-1col clearfix\u0022 \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-panel panel-col\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-variant-link\u0022 \u003E\n \n \n \n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/content\/pediatrics\/117\/Supplement_4\/S442.full-text.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022aap-download-pdf link-icon\u0022 title=\u0022Download PDF\u0022\u003E\u003Ci class=\u0022aap-icon-page-pdf\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E Download PDF\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-separator\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-markup\u0022 \u003E\n \n \n \n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-markup\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022 id=\u0022content-block-markup\u0022 data-highwire-cite-ref-tooltip-instance=\u0022highwire_reflinks_tooltip\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022article fulltext-view\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-start\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022kwd-group KWD\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/search\/%20text_abstract_title%3AHurricane%2BKatrina%20text_abstract_title_flags%3Amatch-phrase%20sort%3Apublication-date\u0022 class=\u0022hw-term hw-article-keyword hw-article-keyword-hurricane-katrina\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022\u003EHurricane Katrina\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/search\/%20text_abstract_title%3Amissing%2Bchildren%20text_abstract_title_flags%3Amatch-phrase%20sort%3Apublication-date\u0022 class=\u0022hw-term hw-article-keyword hw-article-keyword-missing-children\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022\u003Emissing children\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/search\/%20text_abstract_title%3Adisaster%2Bplanning%20text_abstract_title_flags%3Amatch-phrase%20sort%3Apublication-date\u0022 class=\u0022hw-term hw-article-keyword hw-article-keyword-disaster-planning\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022\u003Edisaster planning\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-1\u0022\u003EAlthough the hurricane season of 2005 was one of the worst on record, 2 storms, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, were particularly devastating to the Gulf Coast region. Among the other tragedies came the news that nearly 5000 children became dislocated from their families as a result of these 2 storms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELONG-TERM PREPARATIONS\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-2\u0022\u003EBefore the hurricanes, the National Center for Missing \u0026amp; Exploited Children (NCMEC) had systems for locating missing children in place: a 24-hour hotline, a database of missing children, and connections with law enforcement throughout the United States and the world. The success of NCMEC is well documented; they have a recovery rate of 96% in the long-term cases with which they deal. They have become the nation\u0027s primary resource to work with law enforcement in the search for missing children. Technology has become the hallmark of searching for missing children. The use of computers, digital images, and the media has led to great improvements in finding these children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-3\u0022\u003ENCMEC had created programs by using retired law enforcement officers to assist in the search for missing children in the many locales where there may not be adequate resources. Project ALERT (America\u0027s Law Enforcement Retiree Team) is a program wherein these retired officers assist local police and sheriff\u0027s departments who may not have officers fully trained in missing child cases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-4\u0022\u003EA second program sponsored by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation was patterned after the National Transportation Safety Board\u0027s Go Team program. When there is a plane crash or other transportation emergency, a specialist from the Go Team is sent directly to the scene to evaluate and assist local officials. Similarly, NCMEC has developed Team Adam, a group of retired law enforcement officers and agents, each of whom is an expert in the field of child abduction and missing children. They are sent to the scene in serious abduction cases to advise and assist the local police chief or sheriff, provide technology or other support, and ensure that every possible resource is used during those early critical moments when a child\u0027s life might depend on it. They don\u0027t have law enforcement authority or arrest power or carry weapons. They purely and simply are advisors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-2\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EONE WEEK AFTER LANDFALL\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-5\u0022\u003EWhen Hurricane Katrina hit, the devastation became apparent. Although there was concern for property damage, the first priority quickly became getting people to safety. In the ensuing chaos, many families were fractured and ended up in several locations. In many cases, children were separated from parents, caretakers, or other loved ones as they moved from their homes, to the Louisiana Superdome, to the Reliant Astrodome, and elsewhere. Records were sparse or nonexistent. Because communication systems were compromised, the nation suddenly was faced with an acute disaster-related missing children crisis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-6\u0022\u003EIn response, NCMEC was asked by the US Department of Justice on September 1 (3 days after landfall) to get involved and spearhead the effort to find these missing children and reunite them with their families. NCMEC enthusiastically responded after contacting the Red Cross to make sure that these efforts were not duplicative and were, in fact, helpful.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-7\u0022\u003EHowever, NCMEC could not divert resources that were already in place to find other children. Parents of previously missing children needed to be reassured that NCMEC was not suspending the search for their children or making their children a lesser priority in light of Hurricane Katrina. The work on the children missing or displaced as a result of the hurricane and the search for America\u0027s other missing children had to take place concurrently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-8\u0022\u003EIn response, NCMEC created a new hotline with a unique toll-free number and immediately began to try to establish it in the public eye and mind. The NCMEC Web site (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.missingkids.com\u0022\u003Ewww.missingkids.com\u003C\/a\u003E) was used as Katrina central, a place where people could go to see photographs of the missing and access the list of reported missing children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-9\u0022\u003ERetired law enforcement officers from across the country working with Project ALERT and Team Adam were brought in to answer the Katrina telephones, do the callbacks and other follow-up, perform the analytical, investigative work to locate the missing, and work with NCMEC staff in many other ways. Team Adam members were dispatched to the affected states immediately. They went into the shelters, took photographs of the children, and worked with state and local law enforcement, social services personnel, the state missing children\u0027s clearinghouses, and every other possible resource.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-10\u0022\u003EGenerally, photographs of missing children are one of the most important tools. After Katrina, most of the parents who were separated from their children had lost everything in the storm or the subsequent flood, including photographs of their children. By and large, without photographs, NCMEC had to create its own search tools, particularly in the early days. The quality of information was very poor. There were many resources being created for people to list information about missing loved ones. As valuable as they were, they still essentially were passive vehicles. Someone had to actively go search the database to find a missing family member.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-11\u0022\u003EIn addition, most of the technological advances developed over the past 2 decades that have led to the dramatic increase in success in finding missing children were of little value in finding and reuniting the children lost after Katrina because of lack of availability in the hurricane and shelter areas. Thus, old-fashioned techniques, including ingenuity and persistence, took precedence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-12\u0022\u003EIn one widely reported story, one of the Team Adam representatives went into a special-needs shelter in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where there were a number of unaccompanied children, many of whom were very young. He worked with Louisiana social workers in trying to gather information. In one instance, he took a digital photograph of a 2-year-old. Then he showed her the picture. The little girl responded with one word: \u201cGabby.\u201d A lead! Thinking that might be the child\u0027s name, Team Adam notified NCMEC headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, where caseworkers began searching databases, looking for a 2-year-old whose name could be shortened to Gabby. They found a 2-year-old named Gabrielle who had been reported missing and whose mother had been evacuated to a shelter in San Antonio, Texas. Realizing that the children in the shelter were likely from the same area, an attempt was made to match other children with the parents in the San Antonio facility. Little Gabby and other children in that same shelter were flown to San Antonio and reunited with their parents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-13\u0022\u003EIn another case, a 5-year-old in a Louisiana shelter was able to give a lot of information: his name, address, church, school, and even his mother\u0027s cell phone number. However, cell phones were not working. By checking with people from the child\u0027s neighborhood, the team located one of his mother\u0027s friends, who told authorities that the mother was at the Reliant Astrodome but had been moved, probably to an evacuee hotel. After calling several hotels in Houston, Texas, the mother was located, and her child was flown via Angel Flight to Houston, where they were reunited.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-14\u0022\u003ENCMEC essentially had created a parallel missing children\u0027s program by using space made available by temporarily suspending some noncritical activities while ensuring that its core mission of the past 21 years (finding missing children) would not be compromised.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-15\u0022\u003EThe procedure used in processing each case was to take a call from a searching parent or close family member, make a report on the missing child, and then do callbacks to verify and validate the information. When there was enough information on the missing child, it was entered into the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u0027s (FBI\u0027s) National Crime Information Center missing person\u0027s database. NCMEC worked hand-in-hand with the FBI and state and local law enforcement. When possible, they got photographs from family members. Team Adam volunteers on the ground took photographs of children without parents in shelters or wherever they may have been located. The photographs then were circulated to television media for airing in the hope of generating calls, tips, and leads. Case analysis personnel in Alexandria, where NCMEC is housed, searched databases and looked for links and patterns in the leads received. Each child\u0027s case was assigned to a case manager, most of whom are former law enforcement professionals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-16\u0022\u003EThe results were staggering. Usually, the NCMEC Web site handles 1 million \u201chits\u201d per day. That number grew to 20 million per day during the Katrina effort and stayed at that level for weeks. When the media started airing the photographs and information 24 hours per day, NCMEC linked their 2 hotlines to be certain that every call would be answered whenever it came in regardless of whether the \u201ccorrect\u201d number had been called. In addition, if one of the lines was busy, it would roll over to the other. After a little more than 1 month, the call volume finally began to drop, and the 2 lines were able to be consolidated. However, both numbers were maintained and still are being used for reports and leads.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-17\u0022\u003EThe media response to this crisis was overwhelming. CNN ran photographs of the children, descriptive information, the hotline number, and Web site address 24 hours per day during the peak period. CBS ran photographs and information on every newscast every day and on their major news programs, \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d \u201c48 Hours,\u201d and others. They even aired these bulletins on CBS Radio news. Fox ran regular features, and NCMEC worked closely with \u201cAmerica\u0027s Most Wanted,\u201d which is hosted by NCMEC co-founder, John Walsh. NBC and MSNBC ran regular features. The media became a full partner in the effort to bring these families back together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe response from corporate America was equally impressive. The many offers of in-kind assistance included: \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022list-unord\u0022 id=\u0022list-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-19\u0022\u003ECanon provided digital cameras for Team Adam to use in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-20\u0022\u003ENextel\/Sprint provided telephones for Team Adam.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-21\u0022\u003EFedEx Kinko\u0027s allowed families to use their facilities to scan or take photographs to transmit to the NCMEC.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-4\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-22\u0022\u003EThe National Association of Broadcasters provided portable television\/radios for Team Adam along with some extras for distribution to families.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-5\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-23\u0022\u003EAmerican Airlines provided flights for 89 reunifications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-6\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-24\u0022\u003EAmtrak provided train tickets for reunification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-25\u0022\u003EGreyhound provided bus tickets for reunification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-26\u0022\u003EAngel Flight provided flights for reunification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-9\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-27\u0022\u003ELifetouch provided school photographs of children, if available.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-10\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-28\u0022\u003EChoicePoint provided volunteers for the hotline and allowed use of their databases in the search.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-11\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-29\u0022\u003ELexis-Nexis allowed the use of their databases for the search.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-12\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-30\u0022\u003ESUN Microsystems brought new servers when volume escalated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-3\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER: 0 TO 3 MONTHS AFTER LANDFALL\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-31\u0022\u003EThe Katrina Missing Persons Hotline went live on September 5, 2005 (Labor Day). Through noon, December 7, 32716 calls were handled, with 4909 reports of children missing or dislocated as a result of Hurricane Katrina and 102 children missing or dislocated as a result of Hurricane Rita (5011 total). By Christmas, 4371 children had been found and reunited with their families (87% of the total).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-32\u0022\u003EThis still left 740 children who had not been reunited with their searching relatives. Fortunately, NCMEC since has been able to identify and reunite every unaccompanied child in the shelters. Thus, there are no more lone children for whom there are searches for parents or guardians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-33\u0022\u003EIt seems likely that the remainder of those who still are not accounted for is not the usual \u201cmissing child\u201d for whom the whereabouts are truly not known. They are better described as examples of \u201cfractured families\u201d in which the children are with one parent or other close relatives but there still is a parent or guardian who has not been reunited with his or her family.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-34\u0022\u003EIt also is suspected that a small number of these children did not survive the storm. The Justice Department also asked NCMEC to assist with their forensic imaging technology and specialists to help identify unidentified bodies at the appropriate time. Forensic artists routinely do facial reconstructions from skeletal remains or morgue photographs of unidentified deceased children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-4\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EMARCH 17, 2006: 6 MONTHS AFTER LANDFALL\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-35\u0022\u003EThis article was written in December 2005. Since that time, the search for the 5192 missing and dislocated children from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has continued. On March 17, 2006, the final child was reunited with her family, meaning that all 5192 cases have been resolved.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-5\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECOMMENTS\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-36\u0022\u003EAn important question is \u201cHow did so many of these families become separated?\u201d \u201cHow were so many children left alone?\u201d Many parents made a fundamental decision: \u201csave my children first.\u201d When there were limited seats on the rescue helicopters or boats, the children went into those seats. When there was a crush of humanity trying to get on the buses at the Louisiana Superdome or the New Orleans Convention Center and parents were concerned about whether they actually would ever get out, in story after story, the parents pushed their children to the front of the lines and onto the buses first. There was trust that somehow this all would be sorted out later, but that fundamental parental instinct, child protection, came into play time and again.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-37\u0022\u003EDealing with dislocated, fractured families in the wake of a national catastrophe, while related, is nonetheless a different kind of challenge for NCMEC. Reconfiguring the training center as a hotline on very short notice worked in this case but would have worked better if a basic infrastructure had been in place. NCMEC is planning to create a parallel but multipurpose hotline\/call-center facility. This facility will not sit idle as we wait for the next storm or disaster; it will be multiuse and become an integral part of what they do every day. Thus, it will not be necessary to create an infrastructure quite so hastily after the next crisis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-38\u0022\u003EFinally, NCMEC has tried to use this opportunity to communicate directly to America\u0027s families. We live in a time in which families are separated and disjointed every day. Moms, dads, and kids head in different directions every morning, sometimes not quite getting back together. This happens for many reasons, including economic necessity. Families are advised to have a family emergency plan and know where to go and how to reconnect in case a disaster of any kind occurs. Parents are encouraged to have current photographs of their children on their person at all times and that children have some sort of ID with key descriptive information and preferably a photograph. In the old days, parents used to write down a small child\u0027s name and address on a piece of paper and put it in their shoe. In the 21st century, we can do better than that, but the basic commonsense of this old-fashioned idea has never been more evident.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPediatricians should discuss these issues with parents as a part of health maintenance, and they can refer to the recent American Academy of Pediatrics statement on missing children for guidance.\u003Csup\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022xref-ref-1-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-bibr\u0022 href=\u0022#ref-1\u0022\u003E1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E Some key recommendations that relate to the Hurricane Katrina disaster are: \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022list-unord\u0022 id=\u0022list-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-13\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-40\u0022\u003EAssist parents and children in putting the risk of becoming missing in proper perspective.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-14\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-41\u0022\u003EEncourage families to teach children self-identifying information without connecting it to a threat of becoming missing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-15\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-42\u0022\u003EEncourage families to keep high-quality photographs of their children and keep them in a place that is readily accessible in an emergency and is safe from the elements so it will not be lost in a storm, etc.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-16\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-43\u0022\u003ETell parents (or shelter officials) to contact law enforcement immediately if a child becomes separated from his or her parents or guardians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-17\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-44\u0022\u003EKnow about the NCMEC Web site (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.missingkids.com\u0022\u003Ewww.missingkids.com\u003C\/a\u003E) and hotline (800-843-5678) and encourage parents to use them if their children become missing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli id=\u0022list-item-18\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-45\u0022\u003ELook at and encourage others to look at photographs of missing children and call if a child is recognized.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-6\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECONCLUSIONS\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-46\u0022\u003EThe challenge of bringing families back together in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was overwhelming, but NMEC can be proud of its role and demonstrated ability to reunite moms and dads with their children after the storm. Hopefully, when the next disaster occurs, fewer children will be separated from their families and those that are separated are reunited with their families even more quickly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section fn-group\u0022 id=\u0022fn-group-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFootnotes\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022history-list\u0022\u003E\u003Cli xmlns:hwp=\u0022http:\/\/schema.highwire.org\/Journal\u0022 class=\u0022accepted\u0022 hwp:start=\u00222006-01-25\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022accepted-label\u0022\u003EAccepted \u003C\/span\u003EJanuary 25, 2006.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022corresp\u0022 id=\u0022corresp-1\u0022\u003EAddress correspondence to Daniel D. Broughton, MD, FAAP. E-mail: \u003Cspan class=\u0022em-link\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022em-addr\u0022\u003Edbroughton{at}mayo.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022fn fn-group-arthw-misc\u0022 id=\u0022fn-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-47\u0022\u003EThe authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022rsna-kwd-group ABR\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022rsna-kwd\u0022\u003ENCMEC, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section ref-list\u0022 id=\u0022ref-list-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EREFERENCE\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Col class=\u0022cit-list\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022rev-xref-ref\u0022 href=\u0022#xref-ref-1-1\u0022 title=\u0022View reference 1 in text\u0022 id=\u0022ref-1\u0022\u003E\u21b5\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit ref-cit ref-other\u0022 id=\u0022cit-117.Supplement_4.S442.1\u0022 data-doi=\u002210.1542\/peds.2004-1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-metadata\u0022\u003E\u003Ccite\u003EHoward BJ, Broughton DD; American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. The pediatrician\u0027s role in the prevention of missing children.\n\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-source\u0022\u003EPediatrics.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-pub-date\u0022\u003E2004\u003C\/span\u003E;\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-vol\u0022\u003E114\u003C\/span\u003E\n:\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-fpage\u0022\u003E1100\u003C\/span\u003E\u2013\n1105\u003C\/cite\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-extra\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022{openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPediatrics%26rft.stitle%253DPediatrics%26rft.issn%253D0031-4005%26rft.aulast%253DHoward%26rft.auinit1%253DB.%2BJ.%26rft.volume%253D114%26rft.issue%253D4%26rft.spage%253D1100%26rft.epage%253D1105%26rft.atitle%253DThe%2BPediatrician%2527s%2BRole%2Bin%2Bthe%2BPrevention%2Bof%2BMissing%2BChildren%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1542%252Fpeds.2004-1397%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F15466116%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx\u0022 class=\u0022cit-ref-sprinkles cit-ref-sprinkles-openurl cit-ref-sprinkles-open-url\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOpenUrl\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/lookup\/ijlink\/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6MTA6InBlZGlhdHJpY3MiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6MTA6IjExNC80LzExMDAiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czozODoiL3BlZGlhdHJpY3MvMTE3L1N1cHBsZW1lbnRfNC9TNDQyLmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==\u0022 class=\u0022cit-ref-sprinkles cit-ref-sprinkles-ijlink\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-reflinks-abstract\u0022\u003EAbstract\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-sep cit-reflinks-variant-name-sep\u0022\u003E\/\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022cit-reflinks-full-text\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022free-full-text\u0022\u003EFREE \u003C\/span\u003EFull Text\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022copyright-statement\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022fn\u0022 id=\u0022copyright-statement-1\u0022\u003ECopyright \u00a9 2006 by the American Academy of Pediatrics\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-end\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022related-urls\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/content\/117\/Supplement_4\/S442.abstract\u0022 class=\u0022hw-link hw-link-article-abstract\u0022\u003EView Abstract\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_pIbxCkwqLFhe06EWMX4fv7eYg7RhKB6h_Vj4CPMFqWI.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C\/body\u003E\u003C\/html\u003E"}